Dust-allayer for automobiles.



No. 809,738. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. W. H. PARKER.

DUST ALLAYER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAKJI, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DUST-ALLAYER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan..9, 1906.

Application filed March 11. 1905- Serial No. 249,568.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Royaloak, county of Oakland, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dust-Allayers for Automobiles and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accompanying.

drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to means for allaying or preventing the rising of dust at the rear of rapidly-passing automobiles; and it consists in the devices and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of an automobile of the tonneau type with the frame and front and rear wheels removed for the purpose of illustrating the position of a blower. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the chassis. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views of various parts.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

In the drawings, A is the main frame; B, the engine; 0, the balance-wheel; D, transmission-gear; E, shaft-drive. In none of these views is there any modification over the ordinary structure, and as they do not intrinsically form any part of my invention it is unnecessary to describe details.

At the rear-of the machine I attach in any convenient manner to the frame a fan-case F, within which there is a revolving fan G, the blades of which, 9 g, are shown in elevation in Fig. 5. The fan-case and fan are constructed in the usual manner, the fan being attached to the shaft 9, which shaft travels in proper bearings H H. Fixed upon the shaft is a bevel-wheel J, which in turning compels the shaft to rotate with it. Another bevel-wheel K is adapted to mesh in the bevel-wheel J and is fixed upon a longitudinal shaft L, which also is journaled at the rear in appropriate hanger or bearing M. Upon the front end of this shaft L is a friction-wheel N, adapted to be brought into peripheral contact with the balance-wheel C and pressed u thereto by the spring S, the front bearing 8, in which the shaft L travels,

being slidably fixed to a very slight extent upon the cross-piece of the frame or in any convenient manner, so as to permit a slight longitudinal motion of the forward end of the shaft L. This is sufficient to allow the wheel N to come in contact with the balance-wheel C or to withdraw it therefrom. A coned portion of the shaft L is seen at P, and the lever Q, of any convenient type, to be operated either by hand or foot, pivoted upon the frame and operating forward or backward, will engage with or release from the coned portion P of the shaft L, and thus would move the wheel N away from the balancewheel C or allow it to approach and come in contact therewith. Obviously any equivalent means of connecting and disconnecting might be employed.

The fan-case F has an opening F and over the fan-case F is arranged concentric ally and rotatably another case F whereby the opening F may be enlarged or diminished, or by means of appropriate wings carried b the fan-case, as the direction of the sheet of air flowing from the opening may be directed downwardly thereby.

The object is to throw a thin sheet or blast of .air substantially backward from the ma chine which shall be strongenough to overcome the air-currents drawn up by the travel of the machine from the road, and thus prevent for an appreciable distance in the rear of the machine the rising of the dust by preventing the rising of the air-currents. By this means I prevent raising a cloud of dust which otherwise would be drawn onto and over the machine as it travels and as is found to be the usual experience with such machines.

By connecting the means for driving the fan with the balance-wheel it will be seen that the fan can be made to rotate at all times when the engine is running, even though the machine be standing still, and it can be made to rotate at a high rate of speed when the machine is being driven upon what is called the low speed. I do not, however, desire to limit myself to driving from the balancewheel, as other means might be employed. It is obvious that when not wanted the fan-propelling mechanism can be disconnected.

The mode of operation of the device is sufficiently obvious from the description.

What I claim is- 1. In a motor-carriage, a fan and fan-casing disposed in the rear thereof, said fancas ing having a longitudinal opening transverse to the line of travel of said carriage and adapted to deliver forcibly a sheet of air through said opening, means for varying the 3. The combination with the running-gear of a traveling carriage, a fan and fan-case disposed at the rearward end thereof and adapted to deliver a sheet of air rearwardly, means upon said fan-case whereby the direction of the delivery of said air may be controlled and means for driving said fan in said fan-case, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereby sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. PARKER.

WVitnesses R. A. PARKER, N ETTIE V. BELLES. 

